FORT Koffee Klatch

[11sstephanie]

Hmmm...I could have explained it better. She doesn't tell us anything that's against school policy.

She was almost raped once, she, for sex ed, she taught all of us girls how she got out of it, and what to look out for.

She had a friend die of a crack overdose, she taught us what his last few days were like, and why crack is the one substance that she has less than no tolerance for.

She's never done anything wrong, I promise, and I'm pretty sure that the school hired her (10 years ago) because of her experiences. And while she probably doen't sound like the best character, students, paretnts, and faculty alike flock to her for her advise. Maybe you need to know her to understand it, but most of us would never do anything that she didn't fully condone.

And the conversation has moved on....

I don't know much about charities. I put $20 (American) in the Salvation Army donation bucket at Christmastime, that's about it. I think my parents just about gave up on charities a while ago, mostly because of the problems that you all mentioned above...nonstop solicitations.

[prhoshay]

What I found interesting about The Salvation Army solicitation....and I do believe that they do good work.....is that they quoted my last donation, and asked me to give them the same amount again. I thought that was pretty ballsy!

[MissThing]

Years ago, I hit on the Massachusetts daily lottery, and won $100. I figured it really wasn't my money, so I gave half of it (in my name) to the Jimmy Fund (a local fund, associated with the Red Sox, for children with cancer). It's the biggest mistake I ever made.

Every other donation I've ever made, be it monetary or knitted items (I do a fair amount of charity knitting) has been anonymous.

[prhoshay]

I will have to keep that in mind, but how do you get around it when you make a monetary donation with a credit card? I can't imagine a way around it. Suggestions? I guess I could always drop cash off at different locations. What a hassle!

[MissThing]

I will have to keep that in mind, but how do you get around it when you make a monetary donation with a credit card? I can't imagine a way around it. Suggestions? I guess I could always drop cash off at different locations. What a hassle!

I've never used a credit card. I have used Travelers Checks and Money Orders, though.

[prhoshay]

I am extremely "anti-stupid fees", and will do anything to avoid them. I wired some money through Western Union and almost choked at the fee that they charged! Stupid me! I think I can get fee-free Traveler's Cheques, so that may be the way to go. Thanks for the suggestion! I'm also open to any other suggestions!

[Lois Lane]

I will have to keep that in mind, but how do you get around it when you make a monetary donation with a credit card? I can't imagine a way around it. Suggestions? I guess I could always drop cash off at different locations. What a hassle!

I was wondering the same thing...I usually write checks...I like to have the records for my taxes (I know deductions shouldn't matter when you're giving to charity but hey, if I can deduct them, I will).

I actually wrote the American Cancer Society and told them how obnoxious they were being and they said that if I gave them my name, address and phone #, they would take me off the list. Um, somehow I believe all that will just get me more solicitations... I think I'm going to do that "Refused" on the outer envelope.

I've started doing that to mail from Teleflora (some of you may remember that I had a horrible time with them and will never give them business again) but our mail carrier keeps bringing it back to me. ARGH!!!

[MissThing]

I actually wrote the American Cancer Society and told them how obnoxious they were being and they said that if I gave them my name, address and phone #, they would take me off the list. Um, somehow I believe all that will just get me more solicitations... I think I'm going to do that "Refused" on the outer envelope.

If they say they are going to remove you from the list, I am fairly sure they are compelled, by law, to do that. I am a bit on the lazy side today to check that, but you might want to spend a few minutes with your favorite search engine to research the topic.

One other near anonymous way I've found to contribute to stuff is to support someone walking/biking/whatever in a pledge type activity. I give every year to ACS and Susan Komen this way (my sister is a cancer survivor, and I support any thing she wants to do to help others). I even Walk for Hunger, myself, and collect the pledges for me, but I've never been further solicited than that.

[prhoshay]

I had a phone solicitor call the other day, and ask for someone by my "mystery name" (it's the one that I list in the phone book, that will tell me when some idiot is looking for donations, etc.). I told him that he had the wrong number; he asked if he had dialed "-#*#*", and I told him that I didn't know what number he had dialed. Then he asked for my number, and he got told, "No!". This jackarse proceeded to ask me why I didn't know my own number! I said to him, "Excuse me, please.....", and then I slammed the phone down in his ear! That was soooo satisfying!! Haven't heard from him again.

[MissThing]

I had a phone solicitor call the other day, and ask for someone by my "mystery name" (it's the one that I list in the phone book, that will tell me when some idiot is looking for donations, etc.). I told him that he had the wrong number; he asked if he had dialed "-#*#*", and I told him that I didn't know what number he had dialed. Then he asked for my number, and he got told, "No!". This jackarse proceeded to ask me why I didn't know my own number! I said to him, "Excuse me, please.....", and then I slammed the phone down in his ear! That was soooo satisfying!! Haven't heard from him again.

Well, that's another thing, I have caller ID. If I don't know you, I'm not answering. Period. Leave your message for my shoes, because that's about all the attention you are getting here, .